Stuarts

'Glorious' Revolution 1688

William of Orange landed in Britain on 5 November 1688. Although he claimed he was only there to support parliament, it soon became clear that a different agenda was operating. William marched unopposed to London as James fled (dumping the Great Seal of the realm in the Thames as he went). By the end of 1688, it was clear that William would accept nothing less than the English crown, if parliament wished for him to remain and defend Protestantism.

Although the revolution was long considered 'Glorious' and bloodless, this was only from a narrow English point of view. Catholics and Jacobite Protestants in Scotland and Ireland, who died for King James between 1688 and 1690 would have considered the revolution neither Glorious nor bloodless.